Fraud triangle factors and financial statement fraud: The moderating role of earnings management in an emerging market
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Received November 27, 2025;Accepted February 26, 2026;Published March 17, 2026
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Author(s)Xuan Thuy HoLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7324-1847
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Thu Hien LeLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4225-2254
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Thi Van LeLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6391-8615
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Hong Khanh Chi PhamLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7296-3141
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Tran Thanh Nga PhamLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6829-9268
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Ngoc Thanh Vy VoLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9344-260X
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DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/imfi.23(1).2026.30
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Article InfoVolume 23 2026, Issue #1, pp. 411-423
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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Type of the article: Research Article
Abstract
Financial statement fraud (FSF) continues to undermine investor confidence, particularly in emerging markets where governance enforcement remains uneven. This study examines how Fraud Triangle factors influence FSF and whether earnings management strengthens these relationships in Vietnam. Using a two-step system GMM regression on 138 listed non-financial firms over 2019–2022 to address potential endogeneity concerns, the results show that financial distress significantly increases fraud risk. Firm performance is also positively associated with fraud, implying that pressure to maintain good results may contribute to misreporting. State ownership and foreign ownership are both negatively associated with FSF, indicating that monitoring by these shareholders constrains fraudulent behavior. Industry characteristics proxied by receivables intensity are positively related to fraud, suggesting greater opportunity for manipulation in revenue-related accounts. In contrast, liquidity and auditor reputation do not exhibit statistically significant effects, suggesting that external audit prestige alone may be insufficient to constrain fraudulent reporting in transitional regulatory environments. Importantly, earnings management is positively associated with FSF and significantly strengthens the impact of financial distress on fraud, indicating that discretionary accruals amplify the translation of financial pressure into misreporting. These findings point to the importance of improving financial management, enhancing transparency, and strengthening regulatory oversight to reduce fraud risk and support more effective detection by policymakers, auditors, and investors.
Acknowledgment(s)
This research is funded by the University of Economics and Law, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City/VNU-HCM
- Keywords
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JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)M41, M42, G34
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References43
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Tables6
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Figures0
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- Table 1. Variable definitions and measurements
- Table 2. Descriptive statistics of variables
- Table 3. Descriptive statistics by audit firm reputation variable
- Table 4. Pearson correlation coefficient matrix
- Table 5. Results of multicollinearity test between variables
- Table 6. Two-step System GMM regression
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Conceptualization
Xuan Thuy Ho
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Formal Analysis
Xuan Thuy Ho, Hong Khanh Chi Pham
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Funding acquisition
Xuan Thuy Ho
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Methodology
Xuan Thuy Ho, Tran Thanh Nga Pham
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Project administration
Xuan Thuy Ho, Ngoc Thanh Vy Vo
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Supervision
Xuan Thuy Ho
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Writing – original draft
Xuan Thuy Ho, Thu Hien Le
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Writing – review & editing
Xuan Thuy Ho, Thi Van Le, Hong Khanh Chi Pham, Tran Thanh Nga Pham, Ngoc Thanh Vy Vo
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Data curation
Thu Hien Le, Thi Van Le, Ngoc Thanh Vy Vo
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Investigation
Thu Hien Le, Hong Khanh Chi Pham
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Software
Thu Hien Le, Hong Khanh Chi Pham, Ngoc Thanh Vy Vo
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Visualization
Thu Hien Le, Hong Khanh Chi Pham
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Resources
Thi Van Le, Tran Thanh Nga Pham, Ngoc Thanh Vy Vo
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Validation
Thi Van Le, Tran Thanh Nga Pham
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Conceptualization
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The impact of key audit matter (KAM) disclosure in audit reports on stakeholders’ reactions: a literature review
Problems and Perspectives in Management Volume 17, 2019 Issue #3 pp. 323-341 Views: 8162 Downloads: 2801 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯThis article presents a literature review of 49 empirical studies on key audit matter (KAM) disclosure in audit reports. The study involves a structured literature review on KAM disclosure based on the reactions of stakeholders. The limitations of former studies and useful recommendations for research are stressed. Five major streams of empirical research that analyze the impact of KAM disclosure on stakeholders’ reactions are focused: (1) shareholders (e.g. investors’ perceptions of auditors’ responsibility and litigation, value relevance and investors’ decisions); (2) debtholders (e.g. loan contracting terms); (3) external auditors (e.g. audit processes and audit fees); (4) boards of directors (e.g. earnings management); and (5) other stakeholders (e.g. informational value for suppliers and customers). The authors stress that most of the included studies use experimental or archival data and analyze the impact of KAM disclosure on investor reactions in a US-American setting. As the international standard setters assume a positive impact of KAM on stakeholder reactions, mixed empirical results are found. Although there are some indications of decreased earnings management behavior, most studies find no significant changes in auditor behavior. Furthermore, there are many insignificant results with regard to shareholders’ reaction in line with our stakeholder and behavioral agency framework. The literature review is especially useful for management decisions, because firm reputation may be positively or negatively influenced by KAM regulations.
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Short video marketing factors influencing the purchase intention of Generation Z in Vietnam
Thi Thuy An Ngo
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Phu Quach
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Thanh Vinh Nguyen
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Anh Duy Nguyen
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Thi Minh Nguyet Nguyen
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.19(3).2023.04
Innovative Marketing Volume 19, 2023 Issue #3 pp. 34-50 Views: 7818 Downloads: 2250 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯIn the digital age and technological advancements, short video platforms have become essential tools for online sales and marketing. In addition, shopping through short video marketing has gained significant attention, especially among Generation Z, as it brings unique and novel shopping experiences. The primary goal of this study is to explore the factors of short video marketing that influence the purchase intentions of Generation Z consumers in Vietnam. To conduct this study, a quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire administered online through a non-probability sampling method. The sample comprised 350 respondents aged between 16 and 26 from Vietnam, representing Generation Z, who made purchases through short video marketing. The relationships among various variables were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study’s results demonstrated a positive, significant, and direct relationship between all factors of short video marketing, including interesting content, perceived usefulness, scenario-based experience, user interaction, perceived enjoyment, and involvement of celebrities and consumer brand attitude. Among these factors, perceived usefulness is the most influential factor on customer brand attitude. In addition, the study revealed that consumer brand attitude, acting as a mediating variable, had a positive and significant impact on consumers’ purchase intentions. Based on the findings, the study suggested strategies for businesses to enhance the quality and content on short video platforms, thereby improving the effectiveness of their marketing strategies.
Acknowledgment
The authors express a sincere gratitude to all the participants who generously took part in this research study. -
The relationship between corporate social responsibility and earnings management: accounting for endogeneity
Investment Management and Financial Innovations Volume 15, 2018 Issue #4 pp. 69-84 Views: 5701 Downloads: 927 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯThis study examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and earnings management after controlling for endogeneity of CSR. Using a sample of non-financial firms listed on Korean Securities Market between 2002 and 2010, this study finds that ignoring endogeneity biases the estimated relation between CSR and earnings management. Specifically, the results show that the negative and significant relation between CSR commitment and discretionary accruals reported in the previous studies becomes insignificant. However, the negative and significant relation between CSR commitment and real activities manipulation remains significant even when the endogeneity of CSR commitment is taken into account. Therefore, this study provides evidence that proactive CSR engagement significantly affects firm’s practice of real activities manipulation, while it does not affect its practice of discretionary accruals. These results indicate that CSR commitment leads managers to be more responsible in management of operational activities than in accruals management.

